The Power of Co-working (The Productivity Booster)

If you are currently on tenure-track you probably have been experiencing low productivity due to the pandemic. We went from being strictly online to now getting back to in person instruction for some. Now we are once again readjusting to ebbs and flows of academic life. The thing about tenure-track is the responsibilities do not go away. The key is to find ways that work for you to remain productive. During the pandemic co-working has been key to my productivity. So how did I do it.

1. Find a core person or group of people.

I found people who were on tenure track. But, you don't necessarily have to be from the same discipline. The key thing is to find people that are motivated to reach their goals. You can set up your favorite date and time to work.

2. Pick the platform you want to use.

You really can use any platform to do video conferencing. I typically use Zoom because I know most universities are using this platform. You can also use Google meet, Microsoft Teams, GotoMeeting or any videoconferencing platform with chat accessibility.

3. Set the flow of your co-working time.

So many times we try to adopt practices that don't align with our values. The key here is to setup a structure that works for you. Here are a few examples you can do it. I utilize structure one for my group.

Structure 1: Do a check in with each other. We state our goal(s) for the time. Then we write or do the task we discussed. Then we do a checkout to see what we have accomplished.

Structure 2: You can log in at any time. You place your goals in the chat and work silently during the duration of the time.

4. Have a plan.

If you are like me you normally don't have several hours free at a time. My group meets for about and hour and a half. I like to draft up an outline of the tasks I need to complete during that time. This allows me to stay focused and maximize my time.

5. Stick to your time.

It is so easy to put everything else in place of our time to do research and writing. The easiest way is to set this time up as a recurring meeting. Be consistent.

As a result of doing these steps my group has submitted papers, grants, IRB's and more. The support and accountability has been beneficial to my success. I guarantee if you start this process you will meet some great people and reach your goals at the same time.

Happy Co-Working!

If you want to learn more, sign up for "The Junior Faculty Survival Series" by clicking the link below.